The FIDE World Cup, a 128-player knockout event held in Khanty Mansyisk, Russia, finished in December. The deserving winner was 23 year old Levon Aronian of Armenia, who beat a previous winner, Ukranian Ruslan Ponomariov in the final. The result will cement Aronian's recent move up into the world's elite group of players.
Possibly the most notable outcome was the 10th place of Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen. In finishing in the top ten Carlsen qualifies for the last 16 of next FIDE World Championship Candidates series; at 15 years of age the youngest player ever to do so. After a year of standing still, his result at Khanty Mansyisk displayed a new level of strength, beating four top-100 grandmasters along the way.
Today's game features Carlsen playing White against Russian grandmaster Vladimir Malakhov in the 6th round tie to decide who qualified for the World Championship. Having lost the previous rapid playoff game, Carlsen had to win here to stay in the match.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.e3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qb3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Be2 Nbd7
This hybrid Meran/Gruenfeld Black setup seems to grant White the same central control without the usual c5 counterplay against d4. Perhaps 10 --- Bf5 to delay White's e4 offers more. 11.e4 Nb6 12.Bf4 Be6 13.Qc2 Bc4 14.Rfd1 Rc8 15.Rac1 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Qd7 17.h3 Qb7 18.Bg5 Rfe8
Black has been trying to prepare c5, the immediate 18 --- c5? failing to 19 dxc5 Rxc5 20 e5 Ne8 21 Nd5! White now rules it out for good. 19.e5 Nfd5 20.Ne4 Nd7 21.Qd2! ---
With Black unable to open up the centre White prepares to attack the king. 21. --- Qb8 22.Bh6 Bh8 23.h4! Nf8 24.Nc5 Qa7 25.h5 Nc7 26.hxg6 hxg6 27.Bxf8! Rxf8 28.Qh6 Bg7 29.Qh4 ---
The threat of 30 Ng5 mating forces further weakening. Carlsen's handling of the attack has been exemplary. 29. --- f6 30.Qg4 Kh7 31.Nh4 g5 32.Qh5+ Kg8 33.Nf5 Ne8 34.Qg6
Black's position is hopeless due to the threat of Ne6.
Prodigy emerges at World Cup
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
The FIDE World Cup, a 128-player knockout event held in Khanty Mansyisk, Russia, finished in December. The deserving winner was 23 year old Levon Aronian of Armenia, who beat a previous winner, Ukranian Ruslan Ponomariov in the final. The result will cement Aronian's recent move up into the world's elite group of players.
Possibly the most notable outcome was the 10th place of Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen. In finishing in the top ten Carlsen qualifies for the last 16 of next FIDE World Championship Candidates series; at 15 years of age the youngest player ever to do so. After a year of standing still, his result at Khanty Mansyisk displayed a new level of strength, beating four top-100 grandmasters along the way.
Today's game features Carlsen playing White against Russian grandmaster Vladimir Malakhov in the 6th round tie to decide who qualified for the World Championship. Having lost the previous rapid playoff game, Carlsen had to win here to stay in the match.
1.d4 d5
2.c4 c6
3.Nc3 Nf6
4.Nf3 a6
5.e3 g6
6.Be2 Bg7
7.0-0 0-0
8.Qb3 dxc4
9.Bxc4 b5
10.Be2 Nbd7
This hybrid Meran/Gruenfeld Black setup seems to grant White the same central control without the usual c5 counterplay against d4. Perhaps 10 --- Bf5 to delay White's e4 offers more.
11.e4 Nb6
12.Bf4 Be6
13.Qc2 Bc4
14.Rfd1 Rc8
15.Rac1 Bxe2
16.Qxe2 Qd7
17.h3 Qb7
18.Bg5 Rfe8
Black has been trying to prepare c5, the immediate 18 --- c5? failing to 19 dxc5 Rxc5 20 e5 Ne8 21 Nd5! White now rules it out for good.
19.e5 Nfd5
20.Ne4 Nd7
21.Qd2! ---
With Black unable to open up the centre White prepares to attack the king.
21. --- Qb8
22.Bh6 Bh8
23.h4! Nf8
24.Nc5 Qa7
25.h5 Nc7
26.hxg6 hxg6
27.Bxf8! Rxf8
28.Qh6 Bg7
29.Qh4 ---
The threat of 30 Ng5 mating forces further weakening. Carlsen's handling of the attack has been exemplary.
29. --- f6
30.Qg4 Kh7
31.Nh4 g5
32.Qh5+ Kg8
33.Nf5 Ne8
34.Qg6
Black's position is hopeless due to the threat of Ne6.
1-0
Solution: 1 Qxg5+! fxg5 2 Rxf7+ Kxh6 3 Rxh7#